AASHTOWare Project™ Estimating Summit

August 29, 2022

The AASHTOWare Project Task Force and Infotech jointly conducted a virtual AASHTOWare Project™ Estimating Summit in May 2022. The purpose of the Estimating Summit was to discuss topics related to AASHTOWare Project Estimator™ and AASHTOWare Project Estimation™, as well as provide input to the Project Task Force (PTF) and Infotech regarding the future of the products.

Due to numerous delays and issues associated with Covid-19, it was decided to change from an in-person to a virtual event. In the end, 42 people participated from 16 agencies coast to coast, along with 7 PTF representatives, 2 AASHTO representatives, and 19 Infotech representatives. Working around the multiple time zones was a challenge but the result was a very productive and informative summit!

Additionally, Infotech reached out and interviewed non-agency AASHTOWare Project Estimator licensees (293 unique persons from 40 States, 1 District of Columbia, 1 City, 4 Counties, 297 Companies) to present a Consultant Questionnaire Primary Results summary during the Estimating Summit.

Infotech used a hosted site with Montana Department of Transportation’s data to create scenario walkthroughs of all questions submitted prior to the summit, create a prerequisite demonstration recording, perform demonstrations during the summit, and perform follow-up sessions with summit participants to help understand, clarify, or support/teach agencies about the existing functionality in the AASHTOWare Project software.

Infotech performed additional presentations and demonstrations during the Estimating Summit on the following:

  • Prerequisite demonstration video on AASHTOWare Project Estimator by Alan Ellis
  • History of AASHTOWare Project Estimator™ and AASHTOWare Project Cost Estimation™ by Tom Rothrock
  • Demonstration of AASHTOWare Project Estimation by Chad Richards
  • Life Cycle Maintenance Schedule Profiles Demonstration by Roy Johnstone
  • Consultant Questionnaire Primary Results by Chad Richards
  • AASHTOWare Project Data Analytics™ Demonstration by Randy Lawton

Zoom was the chosen tool utilized, with one group session and four breakout rooms. Agencies were separated into the breakout rooms based on the products they licensed or used. After each breakout, a spokesperson relayed information to the main group so that all attendees could discuss all topics together. Because Zoom was used, the sessions, breakouts and presentations were recorded and will be available soon.

Numerous topics discussed during the summit included agency usage, agency survey feedback, additional questions about the system, implementation lessons learned, features not widely used, non-agency access and accessibility, plans moving forward, development needs, production of more accurate estimates, expanding the user community to Planning and Scoping, interface project item data with external partners (consultants, local governments), MAP-21 and asset management, and a training poll.

The participating agencies identified 54 improvement requests during the summit.

  • 13 of the 54 requests were resolved with 17 new TMRs (see linked TMRs to Call Ticket 00168096 – Estimation enhancement TMRs from the Estimating Summit)
  • 21 requests were resolved by 13 existing TMRs
  • 20 requests were resolved by Infotech holding follow-up discussions and demonstrations of the existing system functionality with the requesting agencies

The Estimation Technical Advisory Group (ETAG) prioritized the list of enhancement TMRs that were identified during the summit and that list has been delivered to the PTF. The PTF has set aside funding for enhancements resulting from the summit. They will review the prioritized list from the Estimation TAG and provide direction to Infotech to estimate some of them.

From the PTF, AASHTO and Infotech, thank you to all of the participants for taking time out of your busy schedules to help improve this important software!